YETI THE NEWSLETTER OF YHA BUSHWALKING Number 34 AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Walking since 1939
New President’s Welcome A message from YHA Bushwalking’s new president Andrew Stevenson.
Welcome to winter; it’s approaching fast, however the first snow walk of 2009 has already happened at Mt Buller back in April. Hello to all new and regular walkers with YHA bushwalking. I hope you are all looking forward More information about the rest of the year’s planned snow walks and other winter trips is listed on pages 2 & 3 to many a great walk this year. With the tragedy of the February bushfires, I know that all our hearts go out all those people Also in this Issue affected by them and look forward for the club Winter walk previews - Queens Birthday trips to Ballarat & Little being able to return to the affected areas as soon Desert; extended walks to Gammon Ranges, Overland Track & New Zealand as possible and support their local communities. + selected snow & Sunday walks (p2-3)
I am looking forward to my new role as Not Quite a Piece of Cake – A tale of unjust desserts (p4) president of YHA Bushwalking for the coming year and with the new committee we hope to be Trip Report: Cape Liptrap - A surprisingly rarely visited coastline (p5) able to encourage new and regular walkers to Mission: Conquer the Grampians – Easter trip report (p6) get out there and enjoy the great outdoors. Firstly I would like to thank the past committee After the Fires – What’s still closed and what isn’t badly affected (p7) for guiding the club to where it is today Know Your Committee – New Walks Secretary Ken Sussex (p8) especially to outgoing president David Sisson, Club night Coordinator Jane Bateson and Trekking the Tien Shan mountains – (p9-10) Weekend Walks Coordinator Paul Gottliebsen Learning mountaineering in New Zealand – (p11-13) for organizing a diverse program in 2008 and their continued support as general committee for Great Ocean Walk Improvements (p13) 2009. People like these who donate their time and effort for free are a great asset to the club so Tips for Better Bushwalking- Just put your lips together & blow (p13) that we can all have fun in the outdoors. The Perils of Big Screen Bushwalking – Why heading into the I would also like to give a warm welcome to the outdoors always seems to spell trouble in the movies (p14-15) new committee members Bruce Meincke and John Sloan. YHA Bushwalking Photo Competition Going forward for the next twelve months with For the first time we have a photo competition the support of the committee and club members exclusively for YHA Bushwalkers, with total prizes I hope to see more people getting involved in worth over $700. doing overnight pack carries. To achieve this there will be information club nights, more Entry is free, the main condition is that the photo beginner pack carries and accommodated pack must be from a YHA Bushwalk between November carries to help ease the load for first timers. 2008-Nov 2009. (continued page 2) Full details and conditions of entry – page 16 YETI is produced three times per year, with editions published in mid-January, mid -May and mid-September YHA BUSHWALKING http://www.yhabush.org.au YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 2
New President’s Welcome (cont’d from page 1) YHA BUSHWALKING COMMITTEE 2009/10 Also we hope to improve the quality of our club nights with more President Andrew Stevenson Secretary/Website Hooi-Soon Khoo interesting and diverse presentations and promote our walks and extended Treasurer Cynthia Bell trips on these nights. Walks Sec. (Weekends) Ken Sussex There have been a number of trips and events that were regulars on the Walks Sec (Sundays) Hooi-Soon Khoo Clubnight Coordinator YHA Bushwalking program in the past, such as the formal dinner walk and Social Secretary Sarah Kim Cope Hut working bees that I hope to see return soon as possible, as they Search & Rescue Rep are immensely rewarding and great fun. General committee Tamie Dick With the above items in mind I would also like to hear from our club Paul Gottliebsen Tom Lun members of what you would like to see happen to make our club better and Bruce Meincke more enjoyable. To do this I invite all club members and regular walkers David Sisson to contact me via e-mail with your ideas or any concerns that you have for John Sloan the future of the club; all correspondence will be treated strictly as
Yeti Editor (non-committee) Stephen Smith confidential. This is your opportunity to have a say in the future direction of the club. Please contact Andrew Stevenson CONTRIBUTIONS TO YETI E-mail: [email protected]
These articles don’t write themselves y’know, nor are they Cheers Andrew all plagiarised from the internet (well some of them aren’t anyway). If you’ve enjoyed yourself on one or two YHA Winter Walk Previews trips or have some thoughts about bushwalking which th you’d like to share, then here’s your opportunity to do so. Mornington Peninsula National Park (Sunday June 28 ) Find a spare moment, jot them down then email them to A medium grade bushwalk along a section of the Two Bays Trail and [email protected] Greens Bush through eucalypt forest mixed with spectacular stands of Deadline for the next issue is Sept 5th 2009. grasstrees, picturesque fern gullies and open grasslands. Enquiries: Andrew Stevenson 9830 7622 YETI ONLINE th “Yeti” has its own website www.yhabush.org.au/Yeti Mt Dandenong (Sunday July 5 ) containing an online version of the latest issue as well as This is a circuit walk of 15km in part of the Dandenong Ranges. There are archived articles from past editions. The web versions are some steeper sections, some of which can be muddy. Total climbing is well worth visiting, as they often include additional 600m. photographs not able to be included in the print version for reasons of space, as well as superior reproduction. The walk begins at the Kalorama lookout car park which has sweeping views to the east over the Silvan reservoir and surrounding forest. The TRIP LEADERS walk intially follows a narrow track from the car park area below the ridge Take advantage of the opportunity to promote your towards Mt. Dandenong. It soon opens up to a larger forest track and a upcoming trips in YETI with a more detailed description 1938 plane crash site is passed along the way. The lunch spot is the former than space in the programme allows. Pease contact the Doongalla homestead, with the return trip via another forest track lower editor with the details. down the hill. YHA ACTIVITIES CLUBNIGHT Grading: Medium-plus Enquiries: David Sale 0407 667 624 th Is held on a Monday night once a month at the Redback Mt Baw Baw snow-shoe walk (Sat July 25 ) Hotel, 75 Flemington Rd, North Melbourne, from 8pm to A snow-shoe walk from Baw Baw village to Mt St Gwinear, following the approx. 9:30pm., or meet at 7pm for dinner betorehand. cross-country ski-trails and parts of the Alpine Walking Track. There could Special events start at 8.15pm sharp, everybody welcome. also be a little bit of off-trail snow bashing! To keep the walk safe and manageable, the number of particpants is limited to 12 so book early. ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER Grading:Medium-plus Enquiries: Andrew Stevenson 9830 7622 If you recognise an article in this newsletter it is th probably because it has been plagiarised from another Mt Feathertop snow-camp (July 18-19 ) source. This is the only way we can bring you this The tradition continues. This is a good introduction to snow-camping, and newsletter. YETI makes no apology for any offence in fact participants won’t be allowed on the harder Mt Bogong or Mt caused. Buller snow-walks unless they have done this one first (although in-turn, YETI THANKS anyone attempting a snow-camp should have done a few normal overnight The following contributors to this issue: walks first). The walk up Bungalow Spur is evenly graded and not too Tom Lun steep. The campsite by Federation Hut is sheltered, so you can get by Bruce Meincke without a four-season tent. The walk can be done with just boots and Ken Orr gaiters up to the hut, however an ice-axe or crampons/snow-shoes are Sharon Saing recommended if the Mt Feathertop summit conditions are icy (it is possible David Sale to borrow some equipment if you let the leader know beforehand). If the Andrew Stevenson Ken Sussex weather is sunny, the climb and the views are magnificent. Bruce will give a presentation on snow-camping at Clubnight July 8th. Grading: Medium Enquiries: Bruce Meincke 9306 2428 YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 3 Queens Birthday trips (June 6-8th) Extended Walks Little Desert - pack-carry Tongariro Northern Circuit, NZ (Sep 9-19th) Despite its name Little Desert national park, 50km west of A six-day pack carry in the volcano region of New Zealand’s Horsham, doesn’t feature vast sand dunes, but is instead North Island. The main circuit is 50km, with side-trips covered by a variety of heathland vegetation and occasional planned to the summits of Mt Ngauruhoe & Mt Tongariro. stands of eucalypts. This two and a half-day hike will cover Be equipped for climbing snow and ice-covered slopes; the approximately 50km of the ‘Desert Discovery Walk’, a intention of going in this season is to visit these volcanoes specially constructed walker-only track through the highlights with their winter coat still present. The route won’t be the full of the park. For a bit more fun there’ll be a few off-track Tongariro circuit; sections requiring river crossings will be sections as well, following a compass bearing to give an even left out due to the difficulties likely to be experienced at this greater experience of being in the heart of this original time of year. Accommodation will be in huts each night. Wimmera environment. Grading:Hard Enquiries: Bruce Meincke 9306 2428 This is an ideal walk for those who don’t like steep hills, although the daily distance will be 15-21 km. Surface water Gammon Ranges pack-carry (Aug 22-30th) is rare in Little Desert, however it won’t be necessary to carry more than a couple of litres at a time, as there are tanks (and toilet + shelter) at the walker-only campsites on both nights. Grading: Medium Enquiries: Stephen Smith 9387 6481 Ballarat : Sovereign Hill accommodation
If you enjoy outback scenery and want to do a winter walk with mild temperatures, you’ll love this trip. A dramatic maze of rocky peaks and breathtaking gorges, the Gammon Ranges are the northernmost section of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The planned walk is a five day/four night pack carry exploring three major peaks (Mt John Roberts, Cleft Peak and Two accommodated trips have been organised for the Queens Prow Point) with side-trips up a few of the chasms. Total Birthday weekend. For those who missed out on a place last distance, including side-trips is only 45km, but the terrain is year, Sing Wong is re-running a trip staying at Ocean Grove rough and rocky. The route is based on the “Gammon while exploring Barwon Heads and the Bellarine Penninsula. Gorges” walk in John & Monica Chapmans’ Bushwalking in Australia, but is subject to variation according to the The second accommodated weekend has been organised by available water supply at the time. David Sale at Ballarat staying in the Sovereign Hill hostel. Several four-bed bunk rooms have been booked. These have Participants need to have had prior pack-carrying experience shared facilities (including kitchen). and be comfortable with rocky terrain and rock scrambling (we won’t be undertaking any serious climbing). Transport Several day walks are planned for the trip (these might will be via car-pooling, allowing two days each way for the change due to weather conditions, etc). The first is the Mt. drive to and from Melbourne. If anyone can get a few extra Buangor lookout – a 11km circuit walk rated medium+. There days off (highly recommended), walks in other parts of the is a 550 metre total climb with some steep and slippery Flinders Ranges (Mt Remarkable & Wilpena Pound) will also sections. It is a semi-open forest walk with several lookouts th be organised. Bookings must be confirmed by August 8 . along the way. Grading:Med-hard Enquiries: Stephen Smith 9387 6481 Day two is a 15km circuit walk in the Enfield forest. The walk is rated medium. This area is a very old gold mining Overland Track northern section (Aug 1-8th) area. Some evidence of this era is still visible. This area is This winter’s Overland Track walk isn’t doing the full length also known for the large variety of orchids. to Lake St Clair. Instead it will start and finish at Cradle The last walk is the Mount Buninyong circuit walk (12km, Mountain, only going as far south as Mt Ossa. This is for medium). Buninyong was a former gold town that was soon experienced walkers only; be prepared for bad weather and overshadowed by Ballarat. This walk leaves from the town snow, but if fine weather graces even a couple of days in the centre along the Wallaby Track (part of the Great Dividing vicinity of peaks such as Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff or Trail) to the extinct volcano of Mount Buninyong. Ossa, the results will be truly spectacular. Enquiries: David Sale 0407 667 624 Grading:Hard Enquiries: Bruce Meincke 9306 2428 YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 4
Not Quite a Piece of Cake Sharon Saing gets her unjust desserts A “Cake Walk” could be a word misused to describe this particular the up-and-down hills. We focused on the view and walk. Most of us expected it to be cruising and easy as a piece of cake. the scenery to distract our exhausted bodies and It was certainly far from easy and predictable as the name suggested. overworked legs and backs. Meanwhile it got hotter The first car shuffle started from Bacchus Marsh, and then another and hotter every step of the way. drive to Merrimu Reservoir, just on the outskirts of Bacchus Marsh for I kept count that this would be the last hill, until I the final car pool that went until past noon. A group of us waited finally lost count with my fingers and toes. It was patiently for the drivers to arrive; we wondered how would we go on starting to get dark, and there were no further rest this walk? Will it be hard and will everyone survive? stops except to wait for everyone to catch up. Finally after 12.30 the walk began. Half an hour into it, steep hills Some downhills were worse than the ups. Through confronted us and reality sunk in that it would be a brutal day with the constant hills and slopes, our legs were aching rugged terrain ahead. It was a dangerous move for a cake walk with a right down to the toes. When I felt my knees combination of hot and humid weather. aching, I found a stick to support myself from falling. The stick then broke and cramped my calf With half a day gone by, it was time for some sweets that everyone muscle; I was unable to move for almost 10 minutes anxiously had been waiting for. Under the shaded trees with cool breeze we all raced to bring out a full range of cakes: homemade chocolate fudge, cheese cakes, lamingtons, dessert pies, tarts, vanilla slices and many more spread out in front of us to relax our tiring feet. After 30mins of indulging on the delicious desserts, we put our backpacks on feeling satisfied and refreshed. We recharged and felt that the tough section of the walk had finished. We continued onwards for 1km and then came the battle.The climbing began again; moving forward was slow as the track just kept going uphill around the bend. We were exhausted and constantly needing water. After hours in this section and constantly crawling, we reached the top of the peak and felt on top of the world. We indulged ourselves a second time with the left-over pastries and chocolates. It was jubilation to reach this point although we were totally buggered and just sat there with our packs still on our backs. From where I sat, I could see the track ending, it was a huge relief. Or so it seemed... After 10 minutes, we took off again knowing it was all downhill and we could now take some photos of the scenery. When we got to the bottom, immediately we had to climb back up again. The track continued this way for some distance – no more jubilation for a cake walk from this point! Every step we took, it felt another 10,000 steps to go, but we tried to forget how long it was going to take to the end of
The fun (above) and not-so-fun (left) parts of the “Cake-Walk” I roared in pain but no one could hear me. I tried to catch up to everyone and said to myself at least 30 more times that it will be over soon, only to be disappointed again and again around the next corner. It was a mental challenge as well as physical, but none of us ever whinged or whined, we had to get to the end although no one could judge the distance or knew how long we had left to the end. Swearing was the way to describe the hills and we tried to stay positive as eventually it had to end. Physical toughness was definitely required on this cake walk; I think the leader may have had a different motivation! Finally, it became reasonably flat. After getting used to the constant steep ridges, the walk went very quickly even though it seemed like forever. The soles of our feet were relieved for the first time. At the end of the day, it was an accomplishment for most of us. We got back to the cars just getting dark.Everyone was trashed and exhausted, but thrilled to have done it. Although it wasn’t the ‘piece of cake’ that everyone was expecting we all lived to tell the story. The 18kms of constant hills burnt off all the calories from the day’s excessive chocolate and pastries consumption. YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 5
Trip Report – Cape Liptrap A silver lining from this summer’s bushfires was a trip to a surprisingly ignored section of Victoria’s coast. Cape Liptrap is a scenic undeveloped stretch of coastline The second section, Bear Gully to Cape Liptrap has all the only 200km from Melbourne, yet it hasn’t been visited variety you could want in a coastal walk; beaches, boulder frequently for bushwalks. Aside from a cancelled trip in hopping, and cliff scrambling. Allow 4-5 hours, medium grade. 2007, no club walks have been attempted there for well over a decade. Perhaps it is overlooked as being too far for a day walk yet overshadowed by the extremely popular Wilsons Promontory immediately to the south east. Ken Sussex led a walk to Cape Liptrap in February; this only came about as a replacement for the originally planned Prom walk being called off due to the bushfire. The conclusion from those who went along is that the area offers an interesting, scenic walk and deserves to be visited more often.
Ken takes a break about a kilometre from Cape Liptrap Low tides are critical for the last kilometre (half-hour) to Cape Liptrap and the first few hundred metres from Walkerville, hence consultation of the tide charts is essential when planning the date and timing of these walks. Even at low tide the Cape Liptrap section could be treacherous with rough seas, so assign Away from the coast the area is generally flat farming the best weather day to this walk; if conditions do appear to be country, but the coastal scenery is equal to the Prom – dangerous, the final section can supposedly be bypassed by pristine white sandy beaches interspersed with steep cliffs, walking through the heathland above the cliffs, although this blowholes, mini-islands and lots of unusual rock didn’t look to be an easy option. Another alternative is simply formations. An advantage over the Prom is that no permits to return along the beach to Bear Gully. Although Cape Liptrap are needed and there is free vehicle-based camping at is a highlight if you can reach it, Grinder Point and the beaches Bear Gully. Cape Liptrap is close enough to Melbourne adjoining it are very scenic and still make the walk worthwhile. not to require driving up on a Friday night, and is an ideal The Bear Gully camping area was quite popular at the time we spot for a base-camp weekend (or even a formal dinner). visited, although this may have been due to others like ourselves An easy car shuffle sets up two walks, Walkerville-Bear being unable to go to Wilsons Prom instead. Take water for Gully and Bear Gully-Cape Liptrap. Walkerville the entire weekend; it was “Bare Gully” in February, but even if (previously Waratah) was a bustling township up until the the creek is flowing it isn’t recommended for drinking due to its 1930s, producing quicklime in a series of kilns along the mainly farmland catchment area. The campsite contains a toilet beachfront; nowadays it is just a few holiday homes. The and fireplaces; camping isn’t permitted on the beach, however it walk from Walkerville South to Bear Gully is an easy one, is only a two minute walk to a picnic table overlooking the only taking 2-3 hours, so it is recommended to spend an beach with views across to Wilsons Promontory. extra hour with a side-trip to Walkerville North, exploring All up this is a very photogenic walk; the online version of Yeti the history of the place with a visit to the cemetery and features an extended gallery of pictures from Cape Liptrap. preserved limeburning kilns.
Grinder Point can either be walked around or across The final climb up Cape Liptrap itself isn’t as steep as it looks! YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 6
Mission:Conquer the Grampians (or part therof) Twenty-five intrepid hikers signed up for an adventure in the cliff edge. It would have been tough to wake up in the Grampians over the Easter period. It was an accommodated morning to that view! Mt. Difficult gave another great view weekend, and the intention was to complete some of the of the area. The descent proved to be quite technical; several more difficult or remote day walks in the area. places required rock scrambling or a good balance, or both. Mission 1: infiltrate the FORTRESS It also tested a few people's knees. However, all considered it The drive to the start of this walk was via a reasonably long a great walk (once they reached the end!). drive over a dirt road. I was leading the convoy which gave Mission 3a: Scale the Chimney Pots me two advantages: the car wasn't covered in dust (at least The Chimney Pots are located in a remote part of the Park. It the front half), and we saw some deer and lots of kangaroos. is only 3 km, but the recommendation is to allow three hours. The first difficulty was finding the start. It isn't marked on This sounded like a challenge so I made everyone do it. some of the newer maps, and wasn't even sign posted until The walk consists of a semi-circuit around a rock formation 400m into the walk! But that didn't halt the mission. which includes a steep ascent. There is a short detour to a The walk initially begins with a gentle stroll through some of lookout which gives further views over the Grampians and the dry eucalypt forest. Soon there is a turn off for the beyond – this time looking west. Fortress with a warning sign indicating 'strenuous walking The descent took us through a protected and relatively lush involved'. However, we refused to be intimidated. (by Grampian standards) canyon. The older name for the From here, the walk continues with a reasonably constant Chimney Pots was 'The Temple', which was presumably due ascent towards the Fortress. There are some fantastic views to the appearance of this canyon. along the way, greatly assisted by clear and sunny conditions. Mission 3b: Teddy Bear Gap Lookout Some of these locations gave a great view of the impressive This was supposed to be an easy 8 km walk for the afternoon. fortress. Soon we arrived at the Fortress base. It did include a moderate 100m ascent to the lookout. However, this felt much more after the previous two and a half days of walking. Although the view was good, it paled in comparison to the Chimney Pots walk. Mission 4: Mt. Abrupt
The original intention had been to climb to the top of the Fortress. Unfortunately, time was against us and rather than be caught in the dark, it was decided to turn back. This gave After three days of easy walks, one would have thought that us time to complete another short walk to the Manja Shelter people would have been interested in one last small walk to view some aboriginal art. (450m climb) to a small hill (Mt. Abrupt) on the way home. Alas, there were only two die-hard walkers interested. We Mission 2: the Briggs Bluff-Mt. Difficult traverse completed this mission in a relatively quick time, a good way The original intention had been to tackle Mt. Difficult but to finish the long weekend. this was considered (by me) to be too easy. Therefore, a Conclusion more challenging Briggs Bluff to Mt. Difficult traverse walk All the walking missions were completed (more or less). was selected. (There was an option for people to return after However, the real mission was to give a group of people a Briggs Bluff but no-one took this up.) great Easter holiday. On this basis, the trip was quite The walk to Briggs Bluff begins with another warning of successful. 'strenuous walking involved' (sign-posted at the start!). It The unsuccessful part was the number people interested after consisted of a relatively steep and rugged ascent up to Briggs the trip was already full. I would have liked to take everyone Bluff for a fantastic view. This made a great spot for morning but this risks compromising manageability (and my sanity!) tea. However, some of the walks weren't completed in their The second part of mission consisted of following the track entirety, or have variations. Therefore, there will most likely along the ridge to Mt. Difficult. There were periodic views be another excursion in the future. along the way. In particular there was one campsite near a David Sale YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 7
After the Fires
Once again bushfire devastation has affected a large number of popular bushwalks, this time the day walk areas close to Melbourne. Parks such as Kinglake and Cathedral Ranges are expected to remain closed for several months. Reopening is likely to occur in stages, with short tracks to popular visitor areas such as Wombelano falls being done first. On a more positive note, some areas which were threatened by fires after Black Saturday weren’t as widely affected as the publicity at the time may have suggested, so there this no need to avoid scheduling walks in these regions. Wombat State Forest burnt for several days, but despite Wombat State Forest – only a small part looks like this. Daylesford making the news as residents evacuated, the fire’s bark turned out to be worse than its bite and only a Warburton and other towns in the Upper Yarra region also relatively small section of the forest has been affected. evacuated, with good reason, due to the threat of being trapped The main fire-damage is confined to an approximate between fires from two directions, however this area also ended region east of the Daylesford-Ballan road, south of up relatively unscathed. The popular Powelltown tramway walk Jubilee Lake, north of Leonard Hill and west of for example hasn’t been fire-damaged. Although not burnt, the Bullarto. Dom Dom track has been bulldozed into a vast firebreak and so it and the Cement Creek track around Mt Donna Buang are closed Of the popular Daylesford-based walks, the only ones in for the time being. Around Healesville, Mt Juliet and Mt Riddell the fire impacted area are Wombat Creek dam, the “Lost are reported to be burnt out, however Mt St Leonard, while being Children Walk”, Leitchs Creek Springs and about 4-5km burnt on the side near Toolangi wasn’t damaged around the of the Lerderderg Great Dividing Trail. The Sailors popular circuit trail around the summit. Falls, Hepburn Springs and Tipperary Springs areas were entirely unaffected. There are no road closures in Finally those who enjoyed Ron Bell’s Mt Disappointment Wombat State forest, although the first section of the weekends over many years will be pleased to hear that the venue Lerderderg Track is temporarily closed, probably more used for them has survived, although the blaze came to within due to damage to signs than any real danger. Nearby metres of the buildings. The Mt Disappointment state forest has towns such as Blackwood and Trentham were on alert been very badly burnt however and is currently off-limits to for a period as well, but their surrounding forest is also walkers. unscathed.
A personal account by one of our members of a visit to one fire ravaged region in April. Please note that the area referred to is still officially closed to public access.
It has been one of my favourite day walk destinations for many years, an absolutely delightful little place, hiding in the northern parts of Mt Disappointment State Forest. It’s Diggers Creek. In its lower reaches, it’s quite a broad, very pretty little valley - an oasis of green in otherwise dry forest country. Walking upstream, the valley gradually narrows into a canyon, water cascading over delightful little falls, with rocky cliffs rising dramatically on both sides.
Then came Black Saturday. I had heard that the fires had started near Kilmore and headed south-east, before been blown east by the wind change. Kinglake and the south end of Mt Disappointment State Forest were fried, and Flowerdale was burnt too … but was it possible that the fire swept east but to the south of Diggers Creek?
I had to find out. So a few weeks after the fires were out, I headed off up the highway.
What I found was heart breaking … but awe inspiring too. It was very strange being able to see the shape of the ground so far off into the forest. The scrub was completely gone. Bare earth. However, many of the trees had survived and were sprouting from their trunks. And in the gullies, blackened tree ferns had new green fronds nearly a couple of feet long already. Absolutely amazing. Another thing I noticed was the quiet. I did see a couple of small birds, but the silence was deafening. The fires certainly fried my beautiful little valley. But I’m glad I went to see it, and I will certainly be going back. In twelve months time, it will be an delightful oasis of green once more. Isn’t our bush amazing.
YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 8
Know your committee – Ken Sussex Least pleasant experience? Human memory is amazing in that we tend to erase our worst experiences, but I still have The club’s new Weekend Walks Secretary shares some of his painful flashbacks to an epic ski tour, years ago, in the north experiences from almost 30 years of bushwalking with YHA. end of Kosciuszko National Park. I spent a couple of nights in Pretty Plain Hut in absolute agony from cramps, in a woefully inadequate sleeping bag in temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius. When I think about it, my worst memories relate to being really cold and wet through. Miserable! These days, I am very careful about staying warm and dry. Strangest thing you’ve seen? That would have to be first hearing, then seeing, a mainline steam locomotive chuffing around on track, miles from the nearest railway line, on a property just north of Diggers Creek in Mt Disappointment State Forest. Boys and their toys? Hard to beat that. Favourite food on a walk? Hmmm. I like my orange in the morning. I like my lunch wraps with spinach dip, ham and tomato. But I think I have to say ‘a good steak at the pub at the end of the walk’. Have you made any mistakes on a walk that you aren’t How long have you been with YHA bushwalking? Since too embarrassed to admit? Navigation mistakes are always November 1980. My first walk was the Viking Circuit on embarrassing, so I try hard not to make many. But I did Cup Weekend. It was ably led by a very strong young lady make one on the Easter walk south of Thredbo this year. I by the name of Merilyn Whimpey. She went on to be a lead led the party off a ridge one spur too soon, then had to bash walker with VMTC. Other luminaries on the trip included through a fair bit of scrub to get to our campsite. The trip Bill Jessup and Michael Burston. was advertised as ‘off track’, but that was a bit tough at the It was a memorable trip for a number of reasons, but end of the day. Apologies once again to my fabulous party. especially for Saturday night. We were camped among snow What places haven’t you been to that you’d most like to gums, in the saddle just to the south of the Viking, when we visit in Australia and overseas? I’d like to do some were hit by a mighty storm. It really roared. By morning it exploring on the east coast of Tasmania, on the spectacular had cleared, but we woke to find it had dumped six inches of Tasman Peninsula, and into Wineglass Bay in Freycinet snow all around. The problem was that some of the party National Park. I’m also intrigued by what I have read about only had running shoes, so we had to turn back and head walking in the alps in the north of Italy. Maybe some day. down into the Wonnangatta Valley again. A bit dangerous tackling the snow covered Viking and the Cross Cut in What ideas do you have for improving the walks runners. So ended my first attempt at the Viking Circuit programme? We are a bushwalking club, so I would really like to offer more opportunities for members to enjoy a What attracted you to us in the first place? I was doing my weekend away in the bush. My aim will be to increase the Bushwalking and Mountaincraft Leadership Certificate at the number of interesting weekend pack carry walks, both for time, and was looking for a club to join to broaden my beginners and for our more experienced walkers. walking experience. I made a couple of calls, and was invited I can’t do that on my own though. I’ll need your help. If to come along to clubnight, at the old VRI Ballroom in you have any interesting suggestions, or would like to lead a Flinders Street, to meet some of the crew. So I did, and I was weekend pack carry, I would love to hear from you on made to feel very welcome. [email protected] Favourite walk so far? That is a difficult question. I have And finally, any advice for new walkers? Enjoy a been on a lot of fabulous walks with a lot of wonderful weekend away in the bush whenever you can. It’s magic! people. I love south-west Tasmania, but I love Wilsons Promontory and Wyperfeld too. I love the Snowy River around Tulloch Ard Gorge, the country south of Thredbo, and the country around Jagungal. But maybe best of all has been the Overland Track in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. It’s got everything. Funniest moment? What about tragic funny? We were on a traverse from Kiandra to Thredbo in early December quite a few years ago. It was magic weather. In fact it was a bit warm. After climbing Valentine Falls, some of the rock pools looked very inviting. So in we went, au naturale, and we spent the rest of the day there. The problem was that one of the guys had red hair and no sun block! Ended up with red everything. Ouch! YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 9
Trekking the Tien Shan mountains A part of Central Asia not yet widely visited by Westerners is well worth the effort to get there Australia’s winter months are the best period – the only period – for trekking in the Tien Shan (Celestial Mountains) of Central Asia. Approximately 2500km long, the Tien Shan form the north western edge of an arc of mountains which extend south to include other ranges such as the Hindu Kush, Karakorams and the main Himalayan region. While its peaks aren’t as high as the 8000m+ Himalayas, the central Tien Shan around the interstection of the Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Chinese borders contains many in the 6000-7000m range that still offer some challenging mountaineering. Off-limits to Westerners during the Soviet Union era, the central Tien Shan offer magnificent trekking in a region which is unspoilt, safe for travel, but not as yet widely visited by tourists from outside of the former Soviet bloc countries. First view of the main Tien Shan range from Kurbegenty Pass the merchants are bit cheeky. It’s not that they don’t give change, it’s just that rather than coins or banknotes the currency they use is the equivalent weight of more dried fruit to anyone not fluent enough in Russian to argue back! The trek started from 2200m “foothills” of the Tien Shan; in Australia this altitude means the windswept treeless peak of Mt Kosciuskzo, in Kazakhstan this was a river flowing amidst lush grassy meadows and farms, with fir-laden hills rising a few hundred metres up the side of the Karkara valley. A week was spent trekking through glacial valleys colourfully carpetted with summer alpine flowers, ice-cold lakes and across a series of passes of the lower Tien Shan in order to acclimatise to altitudes of over 3000m. The main Central Tien Shan range came into view from a pass on the gloriously sunny second day, a ridge of snow-capped peaks along the horizon. As the altitude of the passes gradually increased, the views became more dramatic; distant glaciers edged closer until we found ourselves The Tien Shan are noticeable soon after arriving in walking across the tip of one. The walking was of a “medium” Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. They aren’t visible grade; ups and downs of a few hundred metres, daily distances of 10-20km and river crossings whose difficulty depended on straight away, as all international flights seem to arrive in a bleary-eyed hour of the night, but once dawn breaks, the how much rain had fallen in the previous few hours. Because year-round snow-capped peaks form a scenic backdrop to of the altitude, trying to walk fast up hills was discouraged. the city. Almaty is an attractive city, with boulevardes of There were eleven of us plus the crew in the trekking party; upmarket shops and the large number of BMWs and during seven days we didn’t encounter any other trekkers. 4WDs cruising its streets testament to the steady increase Apart from a few isolated yurts, the area was uninhabited; the in the standard of living this decade courtesy of valleys offer pleasant summer grazing but are inhospitable for Kazakhstan’s vast oil and mineral reserves. Among the many parks, grand Soviet buildings and statues of communist heroes that make it worth spending a day or two exploring Almaty, a visit to its Green Market is a recommended first step in preparing for a trek. Unless you can’t travel without Vegemite, there’s no need to bring your own food into Kazakstan; all the popular types of chocolate bars and sweets were available, albeit with Russian labelling. The Green Market had stalls dedicated to local delicacies such as horse-meat and fermented mares milk – they’d be sampled later, but to everyone’s taste are the nuts and dried fruit sections. As well as piles of figs, dates, apricots, there was a variety of dried cherries, plums and other fruit better than anything seen in Australia. A hint when buying your scroggin: tender as close to the exact amount of money needed as you can, as Glacial view from North Ashutor pass (3800m) YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 10
Tien Shan trekking (cont’d) the remainder of the year. The trek involved some Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border crossings in very isolated places; surprisingly one of them did have a guard post in the middle of nowhere. The best part of an hour was spent waiting for passports to be inspected, but where the border was just a horse track over a 3500m pass, we were on our own. After a week of horse-supported trekking, it was time to graduate to a more serious altitude. The trekking company’s ex Russian army helicopter picked us up from the campsite for a 40 minute flight to South Inylchek base-camp. I was feeling a little edgy, not having flown in a helicopter before and having heard stories about some of these old Russian ones. I also wondered if it had been South Inychek camp, with Kan Tengri (7000m) at far right such a good idea to have a couple of bowls of thin To maximise the chance of conditions favourable enough to porridge (oats hadn’t been rationed too well and almost ran out by the end of the trek) a few minutes beforehand. allow walks, the itinerary provided three days on the glacier. All three days turned out to be fine, allowing walks up the These worries dissipated straight after becoming airborne; valleys towards Kan Tengri and Pobeda. All good things must my breath was taken away, not by flying unpressurised at come to an end, so it was too soon that the helicopter arrived for 5000m, but by the exhilarating view. another awe-inspiring flight back to Karkara base-camp. There are a few adventure travel companies offering trips in the Tien Shan (I went with Explore), however most end up using the same local operators from Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan. Independent trekking is possible, although as a local guide is essential, invariably they end up being hired from the same companies which run the organised treks. It is Go fetch! Kyrgyztan’s top possible to trek all the way up to dog was also choppered in! the glacier (a 2½ week epic) or Green valleys I’d trekked through during the previous undertake climbing on some of the smaller 5000-6000m peaks. week quickly gave way to vast rivers of ice. Hovering alongside many snow-capped peaks, it was evident that Getting to Kazakhstan isn’t easy. The first hurdle is the complex visa requirement for multiple border crossings; there some were still towering way above us as we took in their isn’t an embassy in Australia, so passports need to be couriered icy rock faces and gullies at close range. The ice beneath overseas (eg London), a process that takes 2-3 weeks. This was dotted with the occasional blue or green-hued glacial assumes a “letter of invitation” from a local tour company lakes; the water in some of these is held in place by an ice stating why you are travelling there. A visa for independent plug or wall which melts towards the end of each summer, travel could take much longer, particularly without a detailed draining in a day what has taken nearly a year to itinerary. As might be expected there aren’t any direct flights accumulate. Eventually we touched down on the 4000m from Australia to Kazakhstan; the most convenient stopover is South Inylchek glacier. The camp – a row of 2-3 person dome tents on wooden platforms – had only been set up Bangkok, the only other “local”options are via Seoul or Beijing. for a few days. The glacier is only safely accessible Learning some basic Russian (or at least how to read the during July and August; anything not dismantled and Cyryllic alphabet) is useful in this part of the world. Kazakh removed at the end of each season is soon destroyed by and Kyrgyz are the official languages, but Russian is the winter storms. Despite the altitude, when the sun was out common tongue and the one mainly used in the towns and cities. shirt-sleeves were adequate to sit outdoors and enjoy the Kazakhstan had a reputation of being cheap – quite recent stunning view down the valley of the pyramid-shaped Kan guidebooks state this – but improvement of its economy has led Tengri (7010m). Towering in the other direction was the to price increases and a strengthening of its currency. Eating higher but less imposing Pobeda (7439m) the highest peak out in Almaty was a bit cheaper than Melbourne, although not of the Tien Shan. The next day brought other arrivals, a by much. With spectacular mountain regions in countries such team of Spanish and South American mountaineers on a as India and Pakistan becoming dangerous to visit, it is four-week expedition to climb Kan Tengri. heartening that areas in Central Asia are opening up instead. An easy walk for the first day was a short excursion across Getting there from Australia isn’t easy as yet, but I found it to the glacier to inspect the wreckage of a helicopter from a be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. previous year that didn’t quite take off successfully! Stephen Smith YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 11
Learning Mountaineering in New Zealand
In December 2008, I joined a commercial mountaineering instruction course in New Zealand, organised by a Wanaka based adventure company. (and Yes – without doing advertising for them, it is the one that led the ill-fated 1996 Everest Expedition featured in the best selling book – “Into Thin Air”) Let me start by saying I have got absolutely no ambition to climb Everest or the like. However, my goal is to do a few much easier peaks with a guide or a group of friends experienced in mountaineering once I’ve acquired the necessary skills. I enjoy landscape photography and I hope one day I can get on top of a 5000-6000m peak, taking panoramic photos of snow-capped mountains above the clouds as the morning sun slowly rises above the horizon. We had five students and two guides on the course, all students were from Australia. I have prepared the shortened form of my trip diary to give you a taste of what it was like.
Day 1 and 2: Rain Rain Rain! We spent two days in the tiny town of Fox Glacier while waiting for the notorious weather in the West Coast to clear up. The area gets 7 metres of rain per year and by the end of Day 2 I was wondering if we should just build a pipe from Melbourne to Fox Glacier instead of the desalination plant in Wonthaggi. More reliable, less impact on the environment and possibly cheaper! We learned a bit of theory, different knots, Day 4: Trapped indoors rope-work and even did some Prusik-ing up a rope indoors in The wind speed exceeded 100km/h and it the community hall! It felt strange trying to imagine the roof rained/hailed/snowed heavily for 24 hours non-stop. If you of the community hall was the lip of this huge crevasse I want to know how bad this was, consider these two facts: desperately need to get to… (1) Nobody got out of the hut to the toilet hut which was a mere 5 metres away for fear of being ripped off the mountain Day 3: Lift Off The weather window by the ferocious storm. We used the super high-tech Bucket finally opened early Method™ instead. in the morning. It (2) I felt the wall of the hut moving during the night, the steel was a truly amazing frame gently swaying with the wind. experience sitting in Just after I convinced myself there was nothing to worry a chopper for the first about, the guides informed me another hut nearby was blown time, flying over the away a few years ago in a similar storm, along with all 4 or 5 majestic Fox Glacier, occupants down the sheer cliff … catching glimpses of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman, before landing on a tiny icy ledge just above Centennial Hut. Moved all provisions inside and learned how to build different snow anchors for the rest of the day. It was a lot of fun learning the different ways of self-arresting (using an ice axe to halt a slide down an icy slope). The hardest technique to master was to dive head first, face up, down a steep icy slope and try to self-arrest to halt the slide. It was hard to concentrate on where to plant the axe when all I could see was the sky above as I was zooming down the hill at high speed on my back. Practised a number of times but the best I could manage was to slow the fall, not arresting it. Well, hopefully I won’t be falling face up, head down first during any stage of this course! Day 5: Fantastic day of sunshine. We had to melt snow/ice for dinner as the water tank was Learned crevasse rescue, more anchoring and rope-work. broken by a climber last week who decided the easiest way to Views were absolutely stunning, well worth the price of the loosen the ice in the tank was to kick the tank with his course alone. Kept re-applying sun-screen every hour to crampons on… Sigh… combat the blazing sun reflecting off the snow all around me. YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 12
Learning Mountaineering in New Zealand (cont’d)
Believe me, I felt just as warm during the 43° heat-wave in Day 7: Melbourne as the kind of heat/sun I experienced in the Southern Franz Josef Glacier. Alps of New Zealand. Unfortunately I only brought along two litres of water for the outing and I paid dearly for it near the end We visited the nearby of the exercise. I was very dehydrated and slightly dizzy by the Franz Josef Glacier to time I returned to Centennial Hut. The worst thing was having to learn ice-climbing. Once wait for the snow to melt to get a drink! the ropes were set up, we were like circus monkeys performing tricks for the hundreds of tourists visiting the Glacier as they stopped, watched and photographed us playing around. I must say the ice- climbing session was one of the highlights of the trip.
Day 9 & 10 Rock Climbing We practised our outdoor rock climbing skills, which included setting up rock anchors and trying to climb on rock wearing rigid mountaineering boots. We learned a bit of abseiling as well near the end. All the students got Day 6: The Walk-out/Fly-Out day. issued with certificates on the last day. A couple of them With the weather window closing on Day 7, we had to get back climbed Mt Cook a week later with the guides! down to the village in order to avoid being trapped for days up the mountain. Quite often, there are people who get stuck high After the course - Coming to terms with the dangers of up in the mountain huts for more than a week because they mountaineering missed their opportunity to get out while the weather window Around the time I was in New Zealand, four people died in three separate accidents visiting similar places I went to was open. We walked along Fox Glacier to get to Chancellor during the course. Even though I won’t be doing anything Hut for our chopper ride, making full use of our newly learned glacier travel technique. We climbed our first New Zealand extreme like climbing Mt Cook without a guide, these Peak - Von Barlow after making a couple of pitches under events really highlighted the dangers that are associated supervision. We even practised our summit poses on top! with the sport. When we were staying at Centennial Hut, two Japanese It was another blazing hot climbers were attempting the nearby Mt Cook. On the day day in the Southern Alps. we were trapped in the hut by the 100km/h+ raging wind, The snow was softening at they were struggling to survive in their snow cave on Mt an alarming rate, making Cook. Details of what happened are still sketchy and might glacier travel more never be known. Their snow cave was hastily excavated dangerous as the snow with a ball point pen as hell descended fast upon them. bridges got weaker and Rescuers could not get to them for days due to the appalling weather. Somehow the rescuers managed to drop weaker. Near the end of the day, I punched straight a pack of supplies & radio 2m away from their tent and yet through a severely the climbers could not hear or see the pack in the ferocious weakened snow-bridge weather. The Japanese guide died a couple of days later due to prolonged exposure. The client was rescued across a crevasse. There is nothing more terrifying than relatively unharmed, suffering hypothermia. It was a real seeing the snow crumpled shock when we got out and read it in the newspaper. and a bottomless crevasse Recommendations: appear right in front of my eyes! I must have done If you are new to rock-climbing, it is worth doing a something right as the chest rock climbing course back home or going rock harness I tied in the morning climbing with a few friends outdoors. This will held! ensure that you have the experience and confidence in doing rope-work, knot tying and setting up simple Understandably, my guide didn’t want me to practise my Prusik- anchors. It will help you on the course to pick up ing skills to get out while he was on the other end of the rope things a bit quicker. attached to a novice climber dangling above a crevasse. I was (concluded page 13) dragged out instead… YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 13
Mountaineering in New Zealand (cont’d from p11) Identify the Mystery Object Recommendations: The only clue is that its purpose is something to do The course provides nearly all the technical equipment with camping. required (harness, hammer, helmet, ice screw, etc), except for mountaineering boots. It is far easier to use the supplied gear than to spend a few thousand dollars on technical equipment that you might end up using a few times. There is also the extra effort of carrying all of these on the plane. Be prepared that within the ten days, it is likely that a few days will be spent in mountain huts or even in town waiting for the weather window to open to get in/out by chopper. Last but not least, if you have a partner or family member who is paranoid about you climbing, DO NOT Send your guesses to [email protected] No let them read/watch books and movies like Into Thin prizes, but the correct answer will be revealed next Air, Touching the Void, Vertical Limit or any other issue, along with any entertaining near-misses. books and movies describing deaths in the mountains. Instead, tell them things like a crevasse is like a gutter on the side of the road…. Nothing to worry about Tips for Better Bushwalking Tom Lun #68 - You Know How to Whistle Don’t You? Great Ocean Walk improvements When the Great Ocean Walk opened in 2006, it attracted criticism (including from this club) about some sections being on roads and well away from the coast. Some of these problems have been recognised with the granting of over $1m for improvements. One obvious fix has been to extend the track so that instead of fizzling out at Glenample Homestead, it now continues to a more satisfying conclusion at the Twelve Apostles visitor centre (making the total distance 104km). Some track improvements have also been made around Parker Inlet by regrading steps so as to make the climb up Parker Hill less tiring. Track re-routing is also planned to separate it from public roads. This is the sort of action that it had been hoped would be taken; this long distance track was a great idea, and has some sections that live to expectations, but there is also much room for improvement that it is hoped regular funding will see happen over the next few years.
Only 23 Months to go! It’s a simple, lightweight and inexpensive item of personal Blue Waterholes (April 22-26th 2011) safety equipment. It’s included in every guidebook or website’s list of essential bushwalking gear. Yet a This Easter just gone, information about the pack-carry wasn’t worryingly large number of people don’t seem to bother distributed until less than a week beforehand. Due to the late carrying a whistle. If you’ve done more than a couple of notice, many people had already made other plans, although walks with the club and haven’t invested a few dollars in a those who did go enjoyed a good walk south of Thredbo, whistle…well you know what you gotta do. spotting brumbies and visiting Paradise and Purgatory Hills. For future reference, the view from Purgatory is better! Should anyone get inadverdently separated from the main group (it happens!!), the sound of a whistle carries much A resolution of the new committee is to reintroduce some further and uses less energy than yelling or coo-eeing. If you longer term planning of the major long weekend events. So are really in trouble, three successive whistle blasts is the there is pleasure in announcing that Easter 2011, with the signal for an emergency. benefit of an adjoining Anzac Day holiday, will be at Blue Waterholes in northern Kosciuszko National Park. Caves, One final point; wear a whistle around your neck, don’t carry gorges, historic huts, the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee and it in your pack. The “at risk” situations when you are by a view of the ACT; there’s a lot to look forward to in this yourself in the bush are often those when you haven’t taken superlative walking area, watch this space for more details. your pack with you. YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 14 The Perils of Big Screen Bushwalking A very short quiz: In the almost 70 year history of YHA Bushwalking, only one person has died while particpating in a walk. Was it the result of (a) A bushfire; (b) Snakebite; (c) Car Accident; (d) Drowning; (e) Falling down a rock face or (f) Being eaten by cannibals? The answer is later on in this article. Many of us like to fill in time between bushwalks by watching movies, but stumble upon a film that involves people going hiking in the wild and you could be forgiven for not wanting to venture away from the safety of your lounge room. Those of us who bushwalk regularly, be it a Sunday walk, a weekend camp or a Tasmanian epic usually come back feeling all the better for the experience; but it doesn’t happen like that in the movies. Here’s a checklist of cliches: #1 – No-one ever goes for just a bit of fresh air and exercise, invariably it’s for a grand purpose. #2 - Movie hikers have personality problems. People with personality problems going bushwalking – how realistic is that? OK, maybe they have a point with this one. #3 – Something nasty happens that wouldn’t have occurred if they’d just stayed home and watched a DVD. #4 – The characters involved don’t seem to know a lot about navigation, camping, proper equipment or practical clothing; maybe not a scripted cliché, just a reflection that the filmmakers aren’t outdoor types. Perhaps the producers should hire a “bushwalking consultant”? So we know not to venture into the woods of North America (Into the Wild, Grizzly, Blair Witch Project) – but is there a more positive portrayal in Australian cinema? It isn’t hard to make the the bush look scary (Picnic at Hanging Rock) and it’s certainly frightening if you never wanted to be there and end up lost (Walkabout), but what about those who, seemingly well-prepared, intentionally head into the bush. Are they ever to be allowed to benefit from the experience? Australian films featuring outdoor activities aren’t common, but here’s a look at a few examples.
Monkey Puzzle (M, 91mins 2007) ½ Scenery: Four students and their tag-along dope supplier(!) go bushwalking in the Blue Mountains for Easter in search of the Wollemi Pine (cliché #1 ). After mishaps which leave them lost and hungry, the situation brings out their worst characteristics. The film is based around cliché #2 - all of the characters have major personal issues along with simmering tensions within the group - intercut with some attractive photography of the Blue Mountains. While it is intended to be a character-driven drama rather than action or suspense, the film was developed more through workshopping than strong scripting and direction; unfortunately it shows. The cast of unknowns show promise and while the workshop approach the urge to go bushwalking in the area despite the can pay off with experienced actors, the result here is the predicaments that occur. I’d just make sure to choose the characters spend much of their time exchanging brooding right company. looks rather than offering the viewer any convincing insight Cliché #4 critique: A common mistake when camping into understanding why they undertake their somewhat (it’s happened on YHA walks) becomes a key plot point. irrational actions. As a result some scenes are a bit tedious, Some of the clothing isn’t ideal (jeans, denim shorts over although the drama lifts towards the end. leggings) but the young woman managing to abseil and Apart from the opening scenes, all of the film is shot on hike wearing knee high leather boots takes the prize. And location in the Blue Mountains. The setting is well used, don’t pack or treat a thermarest the way these guys do, or with good photography despite the low budget and gave me you’ll soon have an uncomfortable night’s sleep.
Dying Breed (MA, 88mins 2008) ½ ; (scenery: ) Four people venture into Tasmania’s wintry wilderness in search of the Tasmanian tiger (as going in search of good weather would be too far-fetched - cliché #1), but fall victim instead to a breed that hasn’t died out. In 1822 Alexander Pearce, along with several other convicts, escaped from Sarah Island and survived for several weeks in the Tasmanian wilderness. Back then they didn’t have freeze-dried meals, so Pearce snacked off his fellow escapees. Nearly two centuries later, people going hungry in the Tasmanian bush is still a common problem; luckily for the most recent (cont’d p15) YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 15
Perils of Big Screen Bushwalking (cont’d from previous page) YHA group where this occurred, the ravenous person was vegetarian. Anyway, Pearce must have met a woman unappetising enough to have a family with instead, as (cut to the present day) a clan of his descendants, despite having access to instant noodles and ‘Surprise’ peas, still prefer to prey on passing bushwalkers. For anyone wanting to make an Australian version of the 1972 classic “Deliverance” about city folk heading into the wild and getting into a spot of bother with inbred locals, western Tasmania is the ideal location (with Woods Point a close second). While Dying Breed has a few overt references to Deliverance in its early scenes, it soon becomes a very average horror movie with none of the complexities of the films which inspired it. The misty, wet Tasmanian setting is well used and is the main reason that the film is worth a look (location filming occurred during the extremely wet period in August 2007 that caused problems for a YHA group on the Overland Track). It’s just a shame the script wasn’t anywhere near as well honed as its cannibals’ teeth. The early scenes aren’t too bad and the final moments deliver a shock, but it sags in the second half. Once nasty things start happening in the forest there is a distinct lack of suspense as the expeditioners’ resistance is little more than running about in forest and mine-tunnels. It doesn’t help that one of the victims is very unlikeable, and when one of the evil clan decides to slit their own throat, any remaining credibility is lost. Cliché #4 critique; Two of the hikers wear jeans. In Tasmania. In very apparent rain; highly uncomfortable clothing, particularly when it gets blood-soaked as well!
Long Weekend (M, 93 mins 1977) Scenery: ½ A couple go away for a weekend camping on a deserted section of coastline in a last-ditch attempt to save their marriage. This pair of 4WD campers are anything but minimal impact in their attitude to the environment and soon suffer the consequences. Not strictly bushwalking, as the walking isn’t much more than a stroll along a beach, but this film is the most likely to make a viewer frightened of the bush itself. Getting lost, going in circles on tracks that lead nowhere and everywhere, being watched by unseen eyes... Originally regarded as a flop, “Long With just two main cast members and mostly filmed on a single Weekend” is one of a number of Australian films location, the film isn’t big budget, but it succeeds where the other from the 1970-80s that have experienced a revival two don’t due to imaginative direction, a well developed script of interest as part of the “Ozploitation” genre. and good acting courtesy of John Hargreaves and Briony Brehets. This is best classed as a psychological thriller, While the characters aren’t totally likable, they engender some relying on a steady buildup of atmosphere and sympathy. Bonus marks for probably being the only movie to suspense with minimal graphic horror or violence. make a dugong scary.
What are the actual perils of bushwalking? A recent attempt was made to add a disclaimer to the club booking sheet listing all possible “risks”; these included rain, snow, bushfire, snakes, rough or slippery tracks, flooded creeks through to encountering nude German hikers. It was rejected as being more overboard than the Titanic. Some realistic odds are: Bushfires: Despite affecting many popular bushwalking areas, no bushwalkers were killed by the Black Saturday fires, nor have they been by any of the other major bushfires going back well past Ash Wednesday. It doesn’t take much common sense to work out why. Venomous creatures: Anyone who’s done more than a few walks has probably seen a snake (or more alarmingly walked past a snake and not seen it) but in the long history of YHA Bushwalking no-one has ever been bitten by one. Again common sense such as not antagonising them, wearing boots and gaiters (and being part of a large group) keeps the odds of being attacked very low. Of more concern have been bees and wasps, with at least two incidents in the past year including one that resulted in twenty stings; anyone with a known allergy is well advised to make sure they have medication with them and preferably ensure someone else is also aware of how to administer it. Rough Tracks: Ankle sprain is the most common bushwalking injury (next is the one you get when the person in front lets a branch spring back in your face). It doesn’t occur that often; suitable footwear and natural caution lessen the risk. Psychos: The club occasionally attracts characters that would give Damir Dokic a run for his money, but they’ve always managed to be shooed away by committee members before they caused any serious problems. Nude Germans: There have been recent media reports of a plague of them ascending upon the Swiss Alps. What isn’t as widely known is that a potential breeding pair was spotted a few years ago on a walking track in Kakadu National Park. So far there is no indication they’ve got past the desert and the dingo fence into any of the southern states. The one person who has died (in the 1960s) on a YHA bushwalk did so by drowning, not as a result of having to cross a river, but by going for a swim in the ocean (at Wilsons Prom). YHA Bushwalking since 1939 YETI The Newsletter of YHA Bushwalking AUTUMN-WINTER 2009 Page 16 Photo Competition
YHA Bushwalking has a great new competition where you can win your own Macpac Cascade FL 75L Hiking Pack valued at $439.95. All you have to do is take a picture. It’s as simple as that!
The winners will be announced at the end of year Christmas party.
2nd prize is a Black Wolf Vertical Limit 200 90/10 Goose down Sleeping Bag valued at $250
The winners of each category will receive a free 12 month subscription to the new adventure magazine Outer Edge with the added chance of having your pictures published as well.
YHA Bushwalking would like you to submit your favorite photo from a recent or upcoming YHA bushwalk, so get creative and start getting snap happy to win these great prizes. All you have to do is upload your photo via e-mail to [email protected] with your name, walk title and the name of the leader. You can enter up to three times per category; Landscape, Wildlife or People. An independent panel of judges from Outer Edge Magazine will select a winner and runners up from the submitted pool of photographs. For information on prizes visit the following websites: www.macpac.co.nz www.blackwolf.com.au www.outer-edge.com.au
Basic Conditions of Entry
1. You need to send your Photograph via e-mail (JPEG format) to [email protected] 2. Photographs must be from YHA Bushwalking trips on or after 1st November 2008. 3. Make sure you label each digital image with a title, also in your e-mail message list the walk name, who led it and include your contact details and a brief description of the photograph. 4. Only three photographs per category may be entered. As there are three categories, you can enter up to three times. The Categories Are: Landscape, Wildlife & People. 5. Outer Edge Magazine and YHA Bushwalking have the right to publish any prize-winning entry. Entries close 9th November 2009 The complete Terms & Conditions are at www.yhabush.org.au/Yeti/Autwin09/photocomp.htm YHA Bushwalking since 1939